


Am I Dead and Gone (Or Are You Keeping Me Alive?)

by murphysarc



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Almost no fluff, Alternate Universe, Angst, F/F, F/M, I'm Bad At Tagging, M/M, Mental Instability, Mental Institution, Multi, Self Harm, Suicide, Torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-25
Updated: 2013-08-29
Packaged: 2017-12-24 14:15:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,239
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/940959
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/murphysarc/pseuds/murphysarc
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In their eyes, it's not so bad. <br/>Percy's just broken, and Annabeth can fix him.<br/>Annabeth's just a little lost, and Luke thinks he can guide her.<br/>Luke's just jealous, and he takes it out on Thalia.<br/>Thalia's just scared, and she knows Annabeth will be strong for her.</p><p>Or, the one where they're all in a mental institution and the love hexagon quickly follows. After all, what else are you going to do in an asylum?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Welcome to Riverside!

Hello, and welcome to Riverside Mental Institution For Troubled Youths (Ages 14-18). We have a top of the grade health care team willing to assist patients in any way possible, until seen fit to leave our facility and go back to civilization.

Health Care Staff:

Owner of Riverside: Mr. Z Head Doctor: POSITION OPEN. (Chiron, our old doctor, has now stepped down for unknown reasons.)

Assistant Doctor: Mr. D

Level One Nurse: Hestia

Level Two Nurse: Artemis

Level Three Nurse(s): Artemis, Apollo

LEVEL ONE PATIENTS: (Least severe cases)

1\. Nico di Angelo. Male, 15. Severe depression and urges to self-harm. Has attempted suicide.

2\. Katie Gardner. Female, 15. Anorexia.

3\. Piper McLean. Female, 16. Kleptomania.

4\. Jason Grace. Male, 17. Anxiety attacks.

5\. Juniper Clove. Female, 14. Compulsive liar.

LEVEL TWO PATIENTS (More severe cases)

1\. Grover Underwood. Male, 17. Multiple personalities. Trigger not yet discovered.

2\. Leo Valdez. Male, 14. PTSD; kidnapped for five months.

3\. Travis Stoll. Male, 16. Successful murder attempt, claims the “man” told him to.

4\. Hazel Levesque. Female, 16. Multiple personalities. Triggers include extreme emotions, very large crowds.

5\. Frank Zhang. Male, 17. Pyromania.

LEVEL THREE PATIENTS (Most Severe Cases)

1\. Luke Castellan. Male, 17. Extreme bipolar, resulting in clinical depression, anger, and quick mood swings.

2\. Thalia Grace. Female, 16. Severe panic disorder. The slightest thing can trigger an attack. Note that the patient also has asthma; inhaler must be provided during attacks.

3\. Percy Jackson. Male, 15. Uncommon case of delirium for youth. Does not sleep on own. Attention span is minimal if anything, and difficult concepts are out of reach. Can be prone to panic attacks.

4\. Annabeth Chase (newly admitted). Female, 16. Extremely severe hallucinations. “Exits reality” for minutes, sometimes hours at a time to a “dream,” perfect world. Hallucinations result from a form of schizophrenia.

Thank you for applying to Riverside! Please fill out the form below:

Name: Doctor H, or Doctor Hades.

Position: Head Doctor Reason for Applying: I…like children and wish to…help them.

How Long Are you willing To Wait for an Answer?: Forever.

We will get back to you soon!


	2. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Definite trigger warning here! Mentions of rape in this chapter. It's not graphic at all, but I should still mention it.   
> Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson in any way.

Disclaimer for this entire work: I don’t own any little tiny bit of Percy Jackson, at all!

Annabeth’s POV  
The halls were quiet. The halls were always quiet now, as if that could help me.  
Help us.  
I can’t forget them or else they start pounding in my head. I can’t forget. Can’t, can’t, shouldn’t, won’t.  
Never will.   
I was sitting in the lone bed in my cell. That’s what it was, right? A cell. Pure white walls so I wouldn’t get “distracted.” One lone bed. A window with bars over it so I wouldn’t jump.   
Why would I jump, anyway? Such a stupid idea, honestly.  
“What’s a stupid idea, Annabeth?”  
Suddenly his voice was running through my head and I felt my hand clutch at my sheets, pulling them closer, desperately trying to stay in the real world but then everything faded away until I found myself back in my head, away from reality, away from everything…  
He’s standing in front of me, his beauty practically glowing around him. He’s perfect. He’s not the voice in my head. No, my schizophrenia voice I call “Bob” isn’t actually here.   
No, because this is Percy, and he’s the perfect guy.   
He lives in my head but I know I can find him. Bob tells me once I find him and once I make my dreams a reality then he’ll go away but I don’t believe him.  
‘Cause nobody can be as perfect as Percy is.   
The nurse on my Level, Level Three, she kept telling me that it was just my imagination, that what I was seeing wasn’t real, but she seemed afraid to tell me, like she thought I’d lash out at her.  
I told her okay, sure, it’s part of my imagination.  
But then Percy called to me, making me come back to this field, and I couldn’t believe he was fake.  
I know I’ll find him in reality. I just have to wait, and bide my time.   
“Annabeth! Earth to Annabeth!” Percy calls, laughing. His sea green eyes don’t hold a care in the world, yet somehow, he’s down to earth as well.   
“Sorry,” I giggle, going over to him and clutching his hand tightly into mine. “I just got lost in thought!”  
He smiles, pulling me towards him, lacing his fingers through mine. “You’re cute when you’re spacey like that.”  
We’re standing in the middle of a field, birds chirping around us, the sun is shining and nothing seems to matter. I love this. This is always where I am with Percy when I see him, and neither of us care.   
It’s heaven.   
“You’re making me blush!” I say, trying to fight the giggles. Percy makes me happy, which is something I’ve never had.  
Not since I was twelve.   
Things happened when I was twelve that I’d rather forget. I didn’t get to have a normal childhood because most twelve year olds aren’t grabbed from behind, thrown into an alley and raped.   
Or, maybe they are. I don’t know.   
After that reality just got too hard to bare, and Bob came along, showing me a world where I was okay, where things could actually be “perfect.”  
And that’s why I stayed.   
“You’re cute then, too,” Percy says warmly, holding me tightly, gazing into my eyes.   
“Really?” I ask, staring into the green orbs lighting up his entire face.   
“No,” he says suddenly, cupping my cheek in his free hand, and even though the moment is intense my heart sinks. He doesn’t think I’m cute?  
“I think you’re beautiful.”  
And then, just as he leans down to kiss me, it all ends.   
And just like that, I was back in my white room, in the exact same position I last was. My hand still felt the warmth of Percy’s.   
Percy, my made up boyfriend.  
But he wasn’t made up, was he? He seemed too real for that. I didn’t know. I just didn’t know what to believe. So maybe he was made up. What did that make me?  
“It makes you smart, Annabeth.”  
“Hey, Bob,” I whispered, my voice hoarse. Ever since coming to Riverside, I’d only spoken a few times. What was the point? I liked talking to Percy, and no one else.  
No one else mattered.   
“Have you missed me?”  
“No,” I snorted. “And yes, in a way.”  
“Interesting.”  
“Can’t you leave me alone?” I whined, reaching up and grabbing my head in my hands. “Can’t I be by myself? In reality, wherever that is?”  
“I want to help you, Annabeth,” Bob said dramatically. “I want you to be okay again. Like you used to be.”  
“I’m sorry I can’t recover! It’s ‘cause you’re here! I can’t focus!” I yelled, the sound echoing throughout the entire room.   
Just like I knew they would, the door burst open and Artemis was there, holding a needle while Apollo (the other nurse) followed her, running towards me and prepared to hold me down.  
Most of the time I let it happen. Bob and I yelled at each other, and then the two nurses would come in and sedate me because they thought I was a “danger to myself.” Maybe I am. Who knows?   
But this time I didn’t want to be sedated like an animal. I thrashed as Apollo’s hands came into contact with my arms, pinning me back onto the bed. I screamed. A lot of people on Level Three screamed. It was a sound I was used to.   
Nobody would think anything of it.   
Suddenly a needle was being pressed into my arm and I knew it was too late. Blackness started rimming my vision and I fell limp, letting Apollo lie me flat on the bed.   
“Sorry, darling,” Apollo whispered. “I really am.”  
And then they were gone, and so was I.   
Reality sucked.


	3. Chapter Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, yeah. Hope this chapter doesn’t disappoint! Here you finally get to meet some other occupants of the Mental facility, and get a sneak peak on the side plots. Oh…and this chapter got kinda long, so…  
> Actually, yeah, that’s something I want to add - I’m probably going to increase the size of the chapters ‘cause they’re kinda short right now.   
> Also, if you want something specific to happen in this story, PLEASE review and tell me! I’d love to put in other ideas!  
> Thanks again everyone!  
> Carpe tempore perfecto,  
> -stormthebirds37, aka The Reading Writer x

 

Leo’s POV  
Level Two wasn’t so bad.   
At least, I’d heard it was far better than Level Three. The Level Three’s weren’t even allowed to see the Level Two’s or One’s, and I was really, really grateful for that.   
I got scared...kinda easily, you know? I always had to be doing something (building things especially helped. It felt like, instead of fixing myself, I could just fix other things and that made it okay) or else I got really jumpy and nervous.  
PTSD does that to you, I guess.  
Anyways, it was lunch time, and the Level Two’s and One’s were allowed to go down to the cafeteria and eat, because we weren’t a “danger to others.” Or something.  
I sat at my usual table with Jason, Piper, Hazel, and Frank. Jason and Piper were an item. Had been for a long time. And it was obvious Hazel liked Frank, but Frank…didn’t really see her that way.   
Frank had a lot of barriers around him. He was only here ‘cause he was a pyromaniac. He said it liked fire ‘cause it consumed things and he wanted it to consume him, but I didn’t believe it.  
Fire seemed like a bad thing to die from.   
Still, I kinda wanted to be more like Frank. You know, like, be a little tougher. It sure would’ve helped when I’d been kidnapped, chained in a basement for five months.   
Still could’ve helped now.   
“Hey, Leo,” Piper said when I sat down. I nodded a quick hello. Talking in large crowds wasn’t easy, okay? I didn’t want to be rude. That’s what I was worried about - being too unapproachable and then having nobody like me.   
Still, even at the table of five, I felt alone.   
“So, is Chiron ever coming back?” Hazel asked, her eyes directed at Frank, her question hanging in the air. Luckily, Hazel was still in her regular personality; it hadn’t switched yet.   
“What, Doc?” Jason said incredulously. Believe it or not, Jason suffered from panic attacks. When he met Piper, they seemed to slow down, if not stop completely. Nobody could explain it, but Piper had less of an urge to steal things as well (she was a kleptomaniac). They really were perfect for each other. “He’s retired, right? Hasn’t he left?”  
“I liked Chiron,” Piper whined. “He was really awesome, and he didn’t treat us like we were different.”  
I agreed with Piper on that one. “So who’s the new doctor?” Hazel asked. “Nobody can beat Chiron.”  
“I heard they hired one,” Jason said, shrugging. “From Katie over there.” He tilted his head backwards, showing us the direction Katie was in. She sat at the other table with the other group of patients. I didn’t really know her and that was okay with me. I didn’t want to know too many people.   
“Probably some idiot who doesn’t know what he’s doing,” Frank muttered. It was a rare occasion that Frank spoke, so we were all surprised.   
“They wouldn’t hire somebody unqualified,” Hazel said. “Would they?”  
“It’s Riverside!” Jason said lavishly, waving his right hand, keeping his left in Piper’s grip. “Anything goes, hey?”  
We all chuckled morbidly, save for Frank. “Grumpy today?” Piper asked him.   
Frank just glared at her. “Why do you all care about this new doctor? He won’t do anything different. He won’t let us out. This is a prison! We’re trapped!”  
“N-no,” I suddenly found myself stammering, and then immediately regretted it and Frank’s fiery gaze turned to me. I tried to recover, saying, “They’ll-they’ll let us out. R-right?”  
Frank just laughed a loud, booming laugh. “N-no, Leo, they w-won’t!”  
When he mocked my stutter, I felt my cheeks go red in shame and then I couldn’t stay there. The walls closed in and I just couldn’t take it.   
I jumped off my chair, knocking it over in the process, ran up to my room and balled my eyes out.

Frank’s POV  
When Leo left, I was stunned.  
Yeah, okay, I’ll admit it. Alright, alright! My hands are raised and I’ll let you know what you’re all thinking.  
Yeah. I like Leo. I like him in that way, got it?  
Problem was, I just didn’t know how to show it. No one had ever shown me love. So how was I supposed to show him love?  
It’s not my fault, really.   
So I teased him, but I didn’t think it would get on his nerves like that! Really, there was no harm meant at all!   
“Frank, that was mean,” Piper said, nuzzling into Jason’s side. The two of them were so perfect together that it made me sick. How come I’d never had a relationship like that? It wasn’t fair!  
I only shrugged and began poking at the food on my plate.   
Hazel sighed and then began to eat her salad in silence. Jason and Piper chit-chatted some more, but nothing was incredibly interesting, so I tuned out for most of lunch.  
Finally, when everybody was done, the announcement came on.   
That might not seem strange to you normal folk, but announcements were pretty rare at Riverside. Everyone was fairly isolated most of the time.   
“Can all patients please report to the auditorium? I repeat, can all patients please report to the auditorium. Thank you.”  
No words were said. None were needed. We stood up and walked out to the auditorium.   
The auditorium had a stupid name, if you ask me. It was more like “room with fifteen chairs in it.” But this is Riverside, and we name things strangely.   
I.E, we’re not beside a river.  
We sat down in a hard, plastic chair and impatiently waited for something to happen. Finally, a tall man stepped into the room, his boots clanking on the floor.   
I’d never seen him before, and I could tell nobody else had, either. His eyes were a dull blue, his hair an unruly mess (he even had some chin stubble) and even though he wore a suit, he looked about as unprofessional as you could get.   
“Hello,” he said in a calm voice. “I’m Doctor Hades. I believe I am replacing Doctor Chiron?”  
‘They wouldn’t hire anyone unqualified.’ That’s what Hazel had said.   
I leaned over and mouthed, “I told you so.” She sneered in response. Hazel was a good friend, she really was. One of the few I’d ever have.   
“Yes, I am the new Doctor,” the man continued. “And since I am new, there are going to have to be changes made.”  
“Like?” Travis Stoll piped up. For a hallucinating murderer, he was quite hyper.   
“For one, Level Three’s will not be contained to their Level anymore.”  
Silence echoed around the room and everyone sat in stunned silence. Nobody had seen the Level Three’s. Nobody had even heard the Level Three’s, save for a few screams late, late at night.   
Somehow, even I knew this was a bad idea.  
“They will be allowed to communicate with the other Levels,” Doctor Hades said.  
And then, the door opened, and four kids walked in.   
The first had a sad expression on his face, and he walked with a slight slump, like he had fought life and life won. The second girl was looking around the room incredibly nervously, and when she had analyzed every corner, she scurried into a seat and folded herself practically into it, trying not to be seen. The third boy had unruly hair and he had this confused look in his eyes, like he was trying to understand something that he’d never quite grasp. Finally, the last girl…actually didn’t appear to have anything wrong. She just walked in and sat down, an expression of pure boredom written across her face, like she’d rather be anywhere else.  
I could relate to that.  
“Care to introduce yourselves?” Doctor Hades asked.  
Nobody said a word. If anything, the skittish girl curled in tighter.  
“Well,” the doctor continued, “That’s Luke, Thalia, Percy, and Annabeth.”  
Nobody said anything yet again. What was there to say?  
“Another change,” the doctor continued, clearing his throat slightly. “Every night, I will choose somebody randomly to come down to a private meeting with me. We will…discuss things.”  
I could see Leo, who’s eyes were blotchy and inside I punched myself for doing that to him, start to tremble in his seat. Even Jason looked uncomfortable. I knew those two were prone to having panic attacks, and I found myself slightly concerned that I’d be in the middle of an anxiety fest.   
“I believe that is all for now,” the doctor said, straightening his tie. “You better behave, yes? Just because I am new does not mean you can play tricks on me.”  
As if we would. Didn’t he realize this wasn’t high school?  
And then we were dismissed, like nothing had happened. The scared Level Three jumped up and dashed right out of the room, practically tripping over herself as she went. Everyone else left. I just couldn’t help but notice how the bored looking girl (Annabeth, wasn’t it?) stayed in her seat, staring off into the distance, as two nurses came over and tried to get her attention, but she just kept staring blankly ahead of her.  
Maybe she was as messed up as the rest of us.


	4. Chapter Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m trying to update pretty fast ‘cause I want to finish this before school starts/gets more serious, ‘cause I’m starting a new school and I don’t know anybody, so once it starts I’m not going to be able to write very often.   
> I think that’s it. So. Yeah, thanks for reading!!  
> Carpe tempore perfecto,  
> -stormthebirds37 x

I’m trying to update pretty fast ‘cause I want to finish this before school starts/gets more serious, ‘cause I’m starting a new school and I don’t know anybody, so once it starts I’m not going to be able to write very often.   
I think that’s it. So. Yeah, thanks for reading!!  
Carpe tempore perfecto,  
-stormthebirds37 x

Luke’s POV  
Love’s a monster.  
Love will make you do lovely and terrible things in it’s name, and I’m afraid I did some of them.   
Because I was in love with Annabeth.  
She…she was just amazing. Her eyes sparkled, her hair was gorgeous, her entire being was just perfect.  
I really, really loved her.   
But…I was only a friend to her.  
I was the only one she told about “Percy Jackson, her perfect boyfriend.” I also knew that there was a Level Three called “Percy Jackson.”  
It wasn’t hard to piece the puzzle together. But Annabeth didn’t know anyone else on Level Three but me, until the meeting the doctor called us all to. As soon as Percy was introduced, she went straight into one of her trances.  
And I knew all hope was lost for her ever loving me, now that she knew her fantasy could become a reality.   
Didn’t stop me from trying, did it?

Percy’s POV  
One thought crossed my mind. That’s all - just one thought.   
I gotta get out of here, I have to get out of here, gotta escape, have to escape…  
But I didn’t know how. Too many thoughts were clouding my brain, too much fog in front of my thoughts.   
That was, until Annabeth walked up to me and said, “Are you real?”  
How else do you respond? I said, “I think so…?”  
And then she walked away, simple as that. Seemed strange. But everything seemed strange, right?  
So I sat alone at breakfast, muttering under my breath, “Gotta escape, gotta get free…”  
Nothing distracted me until the small, pale boy slid into the spot next to me, biting his lip nervously until he finally spoke.

Nico’s POV  
“Are you trying to escape?” I whispered to the Level Three, Percy. I didn’t like to talk. But I did want out, and Percy seemed to want the same.  
Well. I’d only guessed, but he was muttering under his breath the whole morning about escaping. Hey, I paid attention to detail.   
Percy only stared at me and gave me a hasty nod. “Well then,” I said leaning in closer, “Have I got an idea for you…”  
And I whispered in his ear my idea, the one I’d been plotting for months, but I never quite had the right leverage until now.   
I smiled with pure glee as Percy gave a quick nod and went back to staring at his oatmeal. That was all I needed - just a yes, and then I could tell everybody.   
After all, I couldn’t do this alone.  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
“And it’s just you and Percy going?” Luke asked. I nodded quickly, waiting to hear his decision. He was a key factor in my plan, and I needed him to say “yes.” I’d been told he was bipolar, but he told me it was more like extreme mood swings in his opinion. So I was careful at what I said.   
“Okay,” he finally said, shrugging, and I could tell he had an ulterior motive for agreeing but I really, really didn’t care.  
It would get me out of this hellhole.  
I wasn’t depressed. I wasn’t suicidal. It was one night, one time, when I just got tired of all the crap I had to deal with and I wanted it over with. Just. One. Night.  
And it landed me here.   
Slowly, I approached everyone else, and they all agreed. I made sure Thalia (the scared, skittish girl. Apparently she had panic disorder) was upstairs in her room, because she would legitimately have a panic attack and probably ruin the entire plan.  
And so the afternoon rolled around, and we were all sitting in the lounge area, when I nodded at Frank to begin the plan. He shrugged (obviously, he couldn’t care less. Actually, nobody else said they wanted to escape, which I found kinda strange, but everyone had their reasons) and suddenly said, “Hey, Luke, what’s your problem?”  
I winked subtly at Percy to let him know it was starting and I shifted us over so we sat closer to the door.   
I was clever, wasn’t I?  
Luke stared at Frank. “Why?” he asked sharply. He was a good actor, wasn’t he?  
Frank shrugged. “Well, you obviously have one, hmm? Everyone does. You, probably, more than others.”  
“Frank, cool it!” Piper yelled suddenly, and Jason snapped his neck over, staring at her, just like I’d told him to.   
“Pipes,” he whispered. “You…you never yell!”  
“She has a right to!” Luke yelled, and I could see a couple nurses staring over at us. Perfect. “He’s…argh!”  
And then Luke stomped over to Frank and pushed him to the ground, anger blazing in his eyes. I knew Frank wasn’t angry about it, and neither was Luke, but the Asian still leapt up and took a swing at Luke.  
“Stop!” Jason yelled at the top of his lungs, curling up and having an “anxiety attack,” breathing heavily and screaming as Luke and Frank went into a full blown fist fight. I had to laugh at how poorly aimed their punches were, and how the nurses who immediately rushed over couldn’t see how they were faking.   
And then Hazel, the last person I needed in my plan, stood up and attempted to act like she’s just switched personalities, going to Angry Hazel. Stopping everyone else, she yelled out, “STOP! I HATE THIS!”  
And then Luke jumped up and shook her shoulders roughly, yelling, “I don’t care! I don’t care!”  
And then, of course, Hazel attempted to punch him, and so the fist fight went three ways.   
“Percy,” I whispered to him. He still seemed confused, like he wasn’t totally aware of what was going on. “We gotta leave now. It’s time to go, okay?”  
He nodded. My words rang truth in his ears. While every single nurse dove at somebody else, trying to calm them down, Percy and I slipped out of the room, running faster than our feet would take us.   
“C’mon, c’mon, c’mon!” I kept whispering to myself as all I could hear was my heartbeat pounding in my ears.   
We crossed the front room, and nobody was there. Not a soul.   
I yanked on the door handle to get out.  
And it was locked, dead bolted in place.  
Goddamnit.   
“Percy, where do they keep the keys?” I whispered harshly, grabbing his shoulder. “Where?”  
He just shook his head, lost in his own mind.  
“No, no, no!” I said, finally giving up and just yelling it, letting my words echo around me.   
“Looking for a key?”  
I spun around, taking a step backwards out of impulse. Doctor Hades, of all people, stood there, holding a single silver key in his palm. Without saying a word, the Doctor walked to the door, unlocked it, and prepared to leave.  
I knew I should go. I could hear people start to calm down and I knew they’d probably been sedated (sorry, guys) but I had to stay. What the hell had just happened?  
“Why did you do that?” I exclaimed. I was grateful, but wasn’t he supposed to be the doctor?  
He shrugged, sliding the key back into his jacket pocket. “Maybe I’m just a nice person.”  
And with that, he left, and I had a feeling I’d never see him again.   
I carefully tested the doorknob, making sure it didn’t…I don’t know, explode, and it didn’t. The door made some painful creaking noises and then I was running outside, not even caring if Percy was behind me or not.  
As far as I was concerned, he could fend for himself now.  
I had escaped. And that was all that mattered.

Percy’s POV  
I didn’t know where I was. Wind was buffeting my hair, and the sun was shining in my eyes. Colours kept meshing together and I couldn’t tell where I was walking.   
Something roared extremely loudly, and I jumped in surprise. I didn’t know what it was, or where it was coming from. But I moved towards the sound because I didn’t know what else to do.   
More growls and roars came from in front of me and I began to run, feeling the force of my legs carrying me over the land.  
Suddenly multiple lights were shining into my eyes, not just the sun’s, and I couldn’t even tell which way was up. I tried to walk a little more but then something blared a horn at me and -   
And then I felt an impact in my side and all the lights suddenly went out.  
I wanted them to come back.  
But they didn’t.  
And they never would.


	5. Chapter Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And well. Yeah. That’s it for right now. By the way, my deepest apologies about the end of the last chapter to all the Percabeth shippers out there. But, it had to be done, so…sorry!  
> And holy crap this chapter is long. A lot of stuff happens here. Wow. Actually, I think there’s only a couple chapters left…but we shall see!  
> And so enjoy!  
> Carpe tempore perfecto,  
> -stormthebirds37

And well. Yeah. That’s it for right now. By the way, my deepest apologies about the end of the last chapter to all the Percabeth shippers out there. But, it had to be done, so…sorry!  
And holy crap this chapter is long. A lot of stuff happens here. Wow. Actually, I think there’s only a couple chapters left…but we shall see!  
And so enjoy!  
Carpe tempore perfecto,  
-stormthebirds37

Luke’s POV  
I got sedated. Frank, Hazel, and Jason did too.   
It was worth it, though. Percy was gone. Nico was, too, but I didn’t really care. Annabeth wouldn’t fall in love with Percy anymore.  
I had a chance.   
Two days passed and Annabeth hardly seemed to notice Percy was gone, thank god for that. Two days of me and Annabeth just being together, and in those two days she seemed to get closer to me, which I loved.  
On the first night, Doctor Hades picked Juniper to come down and have a “meeting” with her. Juniper was a compulsive liar - she could only seem to be honest with people she felt comfortable with. She really was a nice girl.   
But when she came back from the meeting, crying her eyes out and refusing to talk to anybody, Annabeth nuzzled herself closer into my chest and whispered, “What if he does that to me, too?”  
“He won’t,” I whisper in her ear. “I won’t let her.”  
She fell asleep in my arms that night, and again the next night when Grover this time had a meeting. He came back and didn’t speak at all - he just stormed into his room and shut the door.   
The morning of the third day, everything changed.  
Doctor Hades walked right into the cafeteria where we were all half-heartedly eating breakfast. Everyone was slightly afraid of this place now. Ever since the escape, security had been tightened and nobody wanted to be picked for the sessions with the doctor. Sometimes, an aura of fear seemed to roam the halls.   
“Attention, everybody,” he said, clearing his throat with a rough cough, “I have something to tell you.”  
We put down our food and utensils and made sure our attention was focused on him, and only him.   
“Two days ago, Percy Jackson and Nico di Angelo escaped Riverside,” the doctor began and my attention was focused even more than before. This had something to do with them? What if they had been found?  
I didn’t want Percy back here.  
“Nico di Angelo has yet to be found,” the doctor said slowly, and I held my breath, waiting for news about Percy.   
“And Percy Jackson…was hit by a car on the highway and has now passed, I regret to say.”  
I knew I should be sad. Everyone else was. Thalia was quickly overtaken into a full blown panic attack, and Annabeth’s eyes spaced out. Leo stood up and ran out of the room, and surprisingly Frank ran after him, Hazel following him. Jason and Piper held each other close, tears escaping both pairs of eyes.   
Call me a terrible person.  
But inside, I was happy.

Leo’s POV  
“…has now passed, I regret to say.”  
Hearing that Percy had died was just too much. Don’t ask my why. I honestly, couldn’t tell you. But I just couldn’t stay in that room. I ran outside, wanting to be alone, to be by myself.   
My breath hitched in my throat and I pressed my back against the wall of the lounge area where nobody was. Tears pooled in my eyes and I tried to fight them, I did, but then my knees gave way and I was sitting on the floor, sobbing.   
I’d had these sorts of attacks before. Always alone, though. I was always alone. And I thought I’d be alone for this one, as well.  
But then someone’s hands were on my shoulders and someone was holding me into their body and it felt…good. It helped me calm myself down enough to look up and see…  
Frank’s eyes, staring down at me, concern filling them. It was something I’d never seen before. He was normally so reserved, so withdrawn, I never thought he’d care about anyone.  
Must less me.  
“Leo,” he whispered. “I don’t know how to reenact those touching scenes that you see in the movies so can I just ask you a question?”  
I nodded quickly, confused.   
“Leo,” he whispered again, “Do…do you love me?”  
And then it all became clear. Very, very clear.  
Because I did love him. I loved his toughness, the way he could face the world, how nothing fazed him. He was beautiful, he really was.   
I could just never admit it to myself.  
So I nodded sharply, never blinking.  
A small smile crept across his face, the first I’d ever seen. It suited him.   
“I love you, too,” he said gratefully, leaned down, and kissed me.  
I kissed him right back.

Hazel’s POV  
“I love you, too.”  
Four words. Four words I so, so desperately wanted Frank to say. I wanted to hear them, to let them ring through my ears, as he kissed me.  
Well. I got to hear them.   
But they weren’t directed at me.   
I stood, watching the new couple, backing away silently, trying not to be heard. It couldn’t be happening. I blinked about twenty times, but they were still there. Kissing. Right in front of me.   
I couldn’t take it. I spun on my heels, running right up to my room and slamming the door, breathing heavily as I slid down the door until I was on the ground, hitting my head on the door repeatedly in frustration.  
Suddenly, I felt a rush in my head and I knew I was losing a battle with myself. Another personality was taking over and even though I didn’t know which one I knew nothing good would come of it.  
I blacked out, and I knew when I woke I wouldn’t be the same.

Annabeth’s POV  
“…has now passed…”  
As soon as he said those words, I heard Thalia (only a few seats away from me) enter a full blown panic attack. She sounded like she wasn’t breathing well and suddenly nurses were surrounding her. I caught a quick glimpse of her beautiful blue eyes before she was lost from my sight.  
And then I understood. Percy was dead.  
No. No, he couldn’t be dead, could he? How…how was that possible? Why?!  
And then suddenly he was calling to me from a better place and my mind rushed to join him…

It’s different than most times. Percy’s not standing up, ready for a large hug - no, he’s sitting in the middle of the field, a puzzled expression on his face, his hands picking out grass absentmindedly.   
“Percy!” I call, running towards him, and he gives a start, like he’s not expecting anyone to be there. Quickly, I can see he recognizes me, but he doesn’t react like he normally does. What’s wrong with him?  
“Annabeth,” he says in a monotone. “I…can I ask you a question?”  
“Sure,” I said carefully, sitting down next to him, gazing at him intently.   
“Does this feel real to you, Annabeth?”  
I blinked once. “Yes. Why?”  
“Because,” he says slowly. He’s not looking at me. Why won’t he look at me? “Because it doesn’t to me. Not anymore.”  
I give a little gasp. “What do you mean?”  
“I don’t think I’m here. I don’t know where I am, Annabeth!” he cries out suddenly, biting his lip so hard I think it’ll start bleeding. “I don’t know what’s going on. There’s too many lights. I’m so confused!”  
“Percy,” I say shakily. “I’m…I’m sure we can work this out!”  
“No,” he gasps. “I feel like something’s pulling me away from here. But I like it here. I like it here with you…”  
“What’s pulling you away?” I exclaim. “We can make it go away!”  
He turns his head to stare at me for the first time. “With every second, I feel like I’m fading. I’m leaving here and I can’t stop it…”  
“Yes you can!” I cry. “There’s always a way! Isn’t there…?”  
He shakes his head. “Not when…not when death is involved.”  
And then, just as I reach for his hand, he’s just gone and I’m alone in my own head. Like I always fear.  
I begin to scream, to yell, to do anything that will bring him back. “I need him! Bring him back!”  
Nothing happens.   
The sun starts to dim. The birds stop chirping. The grass dies around my feet.   
I fall to my knees, shaking and sobbing. “I was happy…I was okay…everything was…everything was okay…”  
And then the scene’s gone and I’m back in reality.

I was still sitting at the breakfast table. Luke was holding my hand, but I really, really didn’t care. I pushed his hand off mine and got up, going back to Level Three and back to my room.  
When I passed Thalia’s room, I saw her sitting on her bed, staring at the floor. I’d seen the fear in her eyes before and something, I don’t know what, compelled me to enter her room, knocking twice so I wouldn’t scare her.  
“Are you okay?” I whispered in a hoarse voice.   
She shrugged. “I…I hope?”  
“You’re not scared of me?” I said, staring into her eyes, which now seemed electrifying.   
“How could I be?” she said in response. “You’re not scary.”  
I blinked in surprise. A rush of emotions was overtaking me and I didn’t know what to do. I felt frozen, and I still didn’t move as Thalia got off the bed slowly and walked over to me until her face was inches from mine.  
“Can I?” she asked, and I knew what she meant.   
I wanted to say yes.  
I wanted to say no.  
So I just said, “Maybe.”  
And she did.   
The kiss was brief. I’m not sure if you really call it a kiss. But I definitely felt something from it, sparks that I wasn’t sure I should have.   
I drew away and I didn’t know what to do. I just turned around and ran out, into my room, shutting the door behind me and collapsing onto my bed, the tears finally coming.   
Blissfully unaware that someone had been watching me the entire time.


	6. Chapter Six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And I’m actually surprised I’m writing this fast like this is strange for me but oh well. Hope you enjoy this next chapter!   
> Warnings: I suppose there’s warnings for abuse in this chapter. Not too graphic I don’t think, and not much, but I’ll still warn you.   
> Oh and…it’s the last chapter…in case you didn’t read above…and after that there will be an epilogue. So I hope you like the ending!

Hazel’s POV

Yeah. Yeah, I saw the kiss. I saw both kisses - the one between Frank and Leo, and the one between Annabeth and Thalia. The first one changed my personality. The second solidified my plan.   
I was now what everyone called “Crafty Hazel.” This Hazel planned. And I knew that I had a different personality. But I didn’t care.  
And Crafty Hazel knew that if she couldn’t have a relationship, nobody could have a relationship.  
It was easy to see that Luke loved Annabeth. Everyone could tell by that point. And everyone also knew Luke was bipolar.   
It was too easy, really.   
I walked slowly and carefully to Luke’s room, careful not to disturb anybody. “Luke,” I whispered once I got there, knocking once on his door, praying he was awake.  
He was. Quickly the door opened to reveal a tired, worn-out looking Luke. He saw me and shrugged, leaving the door open so I could enter. “Hey, Hazel,” he said. His mood seemed normal at the moment.   
“Hey, Luke,” I said. “I just saw the craziest thing!”  
If you want to break some hard news to somebody, act like you don’t think they’ll take it as hard news. It’s an easy trick. I’ve used it several times over as Crafty Hazel.   
“Yeah?” he said, clearly not interested. “What is it?”  
I blinked once, and then whispered, “I just saw Annabeth and Thalia…kiss!”  
His head bolted upright and he gasped in shock. Good, I thought to myself. That’s exactly the reaction I wanted.   
“Are you sure?” he asked after a while.   
“Yeah,” I replied, acting like I didn’t notice his whole demeanor. “It seemed really passionate, too. Like, they were really into it. It was kinda strange. Like, I didn’t know either of them swung that way.”  
Okay, so maybe I made the last part up. But who cared?  
Without saying another word, Luke got up and left.  
I smiled to myself, and grinned.  
Mission accomplished.

Annabeth’s POV  
Luke stormed into my room not less than ten minutes later.   
“Annabeth,” he seethed, and I knew his mood had swung to angry. “You…you little slut.”  
“Luke?” I asked nervously. “What’s up?”  
“You know what you did!” he yelled suddenly, his eyes blazing with anger. “How could you…I tried to help you! And that’s how you repay me?”  
All I could think was, the kiss. He saw the kiss!  
“Luke, I didn’t mean it like that -” I began, but then suddenly he was grabbing my shoulders and holding me roughly.   
“I know exactly how you meant it!” he growled, and then he pushed me backwards, combing a hand through his hair. “I just don’t understand why…”  
“Luke, listen, it’s not like-” I stood up, trying to approach him calmly, but then he grabbed me again, lifted a hand and -   
He slapped me.   
I gasped, lifting a hand to the mark he left on my cheek. “Why, Annabeth?!” he gasped. “Why…”  
He suddenly came at me and slapped me again, and again, and again, and I don’t know why but I did nothing to stop it. I just let it happen…praying that maybe I would escape reality…  
I had to escape reality! I couldn’t stay here! Suddenly I was on the ground, lying there, Luke on top of me and tears were springing in my eyes but reality stayed firmly where it was in my mind…  
And I screamed.

Thalia’s POV  
The scream filled my ears and somehow, I knew it was Annabeth’s.  
I don’t know why, don’t ask me, never ask me.  
But I just got up from my bed and ran to her room without a second thought.   
I pushed the door open, and for some reason it was still unlocked, so I ran inside to see Annabeth screaming her lungs out, and Luke on top of her.  
I was normally scared in situations like this. But after the kiss with Annabeth, I’d just felt so alive it was scary. Without even contemplating what I was doing I ran over, grabbed Luke, and with strength I didn’t know I had yanked him away from Annabeth and onto the ground.  
“Stay away from her!” I yelled, and sudden fear filled his eyes. He opened his mouth to say something but then quickly shut it like a fish out of water.   
“Leave,” I hissed, still not sure what was taking over me. I’d never been this assertive…never.   
And somehow, he left, without a word.   
“Annabeth,” I whispered, sitting down next to her and cradling her head on my lap. “It’s okay now. He’s gone. I’m here.”  
“Thalia,” she whispered, her voice croaking. “I don’t…I…”  
“Shh,” I said. “Talk later. Rest now.”  
She shook her head, making sure I was staring at her before continuing, “Before…the kiss…I felt something. That I never had.”  
I nodded. I had too.   
“And I think…”  
A brief period of silence followed.   
“I think I love you.”  
My response was instantaneous.   
“I think I love you, too.”  
We kissed and as we fell asleep against one another, somehow, I knew I’d never be afraid again.


	7. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is the epilogue! Wow. Strange.   
> So HUGE thanks to everyone who’s followed and reviewed and put this in their favourites, I love you all and big hugs.   
> And so…a sequel MIGHT happen, I will let you know if it does (on this story) but that probably won’t be for a while, as I’m starting school extremely soon and won’t be able to write often at all.   
> By the way, this epilogue was inspired by the song “Chasing Cars” by Snow Patrol. Great song.   
> So thanks for reading!  
> Carpe tempore perfecto,  
> -stormthebirds 37, aka, The Reading Writer x

 

The last time I find myself in the field, it’s a lot different.  
Percy’s not there, but I don’t expect him to be there. No, somebody else is standing in the middle of the field, with electric blue eyes and a smile that could light up a room.   
“Thalia,” I say happily, running into her arms. “You’re here.”  
“You think I’d just leave you?” she jokes, pulling out of the hug to look at me. “Never, girl. I’m always here.”  
“I know,” I reply. “It’s just…it’s strange.”  
“How come?” she asks.  
“I’m so used to Percy being here,” I admit sheepishly. “It’s just a little hard to realize he wasn’t the one for me after all.”  
She smiles at that, which makes me grin as well. “Something tells me you won’t be here for much longer,” she tells me after a while.   
I look up at her, confused. “Why’s that?”  
“You need someone to keep you grounded in reality,” she explains, sitting down on the grass and pulling me down with her. “I think I can handle the job.”  
“Reality kinda sucks, though,” I say. “This is nice, being here.”  
She turns her head to look at me. “Yeah, but it ain’t real.”  
Her words ring true through my mind.   
“I guess I won’t be coming back here again,” I finally say.   
She smiles again. “Good. Someone needs to keep you focused.”  
I shrug. “Can we just enjoy this while we have it?”  
She nods, lying down on the soft grass, and I lie with her, nuzzling my head into the crook of her arm.   
We lie together, watching the sun set, and I know that even if it all ended right then I’d still be happy.


End file.
